Monday, June 27, 2016

ReVeal: AANE Photography/THOM Graphophoton


Over the past couple of weeks I have enjoyed being able to feature AANE Photography's images of model and dancer Francesco. (Ballerino | Water Dance) Francesco looks incredible as shot by Mike and Fred and I could not get enough of the images they sent on.


I saved this small set to feature on their own, and not just because they once again spotlight Francesco's incredible ballet trained behind.  Regular readers of FH know I love a great reveal. Whenever I can, I love to begin a post with portraits and clothed shots, and then slowly reveal what is underneath those clothes with the sequence of the images.


Whenever a photographer sends on images of a model undressing (or in this case, putting his clothes back on) I am always connected to the reason I structure many of my stories the way I do.  When I can, I like viewers to meet a model or image for the first time with their face in focus, or with their clothes on.


One of the main reasons I do this is that is it one of my goals to present men who are more than just bodies or a in many cases, body parts.  It seems that often, when a penis is in frame, the rest of the human attached to it becomes unimportant.


Part of the reveal on FH is not just bodies, but the story of the artist and model who created the visual.  I understand that many just enjoy the photos, but for me, the fascination and interest in doing FH is about the stories behind the images.  The Internet is full of naked bodies, and it was of no interest to me to just post pictures, no matter how much I liked them.


Almost every photographer and model that I feature gets bugged with questions.  I have some I usually ask everyone, and there are other questions that I have based on the specific images or theme that I am featuring.


It is interesting to me how many models are more comfortable sharing their naked bodies, than sharing a story.  I understand it in a way.  Photos on the internet may show a penis or a butt, but they don't always reveal much about the men they're attached to.


I remember being interviewed a few times for other sites about FH.  I totally understood the struggle when trying to answer the questions thrown at me.  I have shared some of the most intimate details of my personal life on FH, but mostly through stories of my connection to the images.  When I am writing about another's work, it is easy for me to share as I get to maintain the control.  When the words are from another, I feel more exposed and vulnerable.   It is that vulnerability however, felt by naked model fully exposed for sure, but maybe even more so at times, for the artist capturing him, that intrigues me the most.



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